Air Marshal Dhiraj Kukreja today indicated that the armed forces were not strengthening themselves for a “limited conflict” with China,as claimed by the US intelligence.

“The US intelligence publishes reports specially pertaining to other countries…our strong armed forces are more of deterrence to enemies eyeing our territories,” he told reporters here.

India does not have any territorial aspirations and is a peaceful country,Kukreja said,adding,”to maintain peace,the country needs to have strong armed forces.”

Director of US National Intelligence James Clapper had said a few days ago that “The Indian Army believes a major Sino-Indian conflict is not imminent,but the Indian military is strengthening its forces in preparation to fight a limited conflict along the disputed border,and is working to balance Chinese power projection in the Indian Ocean.”

India is looking at peaceful interaction with nations in the wake of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh saying Indian strategic interests have extended up to countries like Vietnam,Kukreja said.

Asked if the US was having any motive behind predicting limited India-China conflict,he said “I can’t say there is any motive … Every country has self-interest and it works accordingly.”